Oppositions storms into the well of Assembly, House adjourned

Thiruvanathapuram: The Opposition stormed into the well of the Assembly and disrupted the proceedings on Tuesday over solar scam.

The Opposition demanded that Chief Minister Oommen Chandy should resign over the allegations of bribe-taking against him. Though the Opposition had given notice for moving an adjournment motion to discuss the scam, the Speaker denied permission to move the motion.

This led to the Opposition protest . Though Speaker adjourned the House for about 45 minutes, protests continued when the House resumed the sitting.

Opposition Leader V. S. Achuthanandan demanded that Opposition should be allowed to move the motion, but the Speaker maintained that the matter was closed. The Opposition then walked into the well of the House and started a sit-in in the well of the House, shouting slogans.

The Speaker rushed through the rest of day’s business and adjourned the House.  

Earlier, responding to the notice, the Chief Minister said that the Opposition was creating an issue over partial deposition of an accused in the solar scam before the Judicial Commission inquiring into the scam. Saritha Nair’s counsel had not even asked him a question when he deposed for nearly 14 hours before the Commission.

The Chief Minister recalled that he had not granted any benefit to Team Solar, the company floated by Biju Radhakrishnan and Saritha Nair, who were swindlers. Moreover, the government had taken strong legal action against them. “So, I have no complaints if they are speaking against me.”

Mr. Chandy added that the Opposition should have cross checked the allegations being raised by Saritha Nair. During the period she claimed to have bribed him with Rs. 2 crore, a cheque for Rs. 6500 issued by Team Solar had bounced.  (How could she have that kind of money then?)

Referring to the Opposition charge quoting testimony of Director General of Police before the Commission that Inspector General of Police Jose had destroyed evidence related to the scam; the Chief Minister said that all the documents were still there.

Opposing the notice, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said that the Opposition should wait till the Commission makes available its findings instead of raising issues based on part of testimonies before the Commission. There was no case against the Chief Minister on the basis of the testimonies.

It was shameful that the Opposition had to depend on the deposition of a person accused in 60 cases. The people were not going to believe such allegations. The Opposition was trying to create a smokescreen in view of the forthcoming Assembly elections, he added.

The Speaker allowed CPI (M) Deputy Leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who had given notice to move the adjournment motion, noting that discussion on a matter before a judicial commission and courts was not allowed in the House as per the rules. However, he was permitting it using his residual powers.

The Deputy Leader noted that it was the first time that a chief minister of the State came under such shameful allegations. The Chief Minister, who had earlier told the House that he had not met entrepreneur Sreedharan Nair and Saritha Nair together, had made amends to his statement before the Commission. Though he had earlier admitted that his office was misused, he had told the Commission that no misuse of his office had taken place.

Mr. Balakrishnan said that the Chief Minister, who had earlier favoured resignations of K. P. Viswanathan and Ramachandran Master on moral grounds, was now staying in power citing the dictates of his conscience.  His ministry was continuing in power just on the basis of a stay issued by the High Court.

He noted that the government was refusing to register case against KPCC secretary Thampanoor Ravi for trying to influence a witness (Saritha Nair) before Commission.

Before adjourning the House, Mr. Sakthan announced that the discussion on Motion of Thanks to the Governor for his Address, which was introduced in the House, will continue during the next two days.